GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE FRAMEWORK
ONU’s learning outcomes are embedded in a curriculum that includes the following:
- Transitions Experience
This course facilitates the student’s transition from high school to college life. Students can receive credit only once for a transitions experience. Other attributes of this course shall be:
- Mandatory for all undergraduate students during their first semester of study as a degree-seeking student. Transfer students with 24 credits or more as a degree-seeking student may be waived from this course at the discretion of the student’s respective college of enrollment.
- Demonstrates ties between General Education and the major or potential major.
- Addresses the General Education learning outcome on Critical and Creative Thinking.
- Designed and delivered by the individual colleges as TREX 1001 Transitions Experience (Arts and Sciences), BIZ 1001 TREX for Business Students (Business), ENGR 1041/1001 Foundations of Design/Orientation (Engineering), PHPR 1101/PHBS 1101 Pharmacy Fundamentals/TREX Introduction to Research Experience (Pharmacy)
- The Transitions Experience course may satisfy other requirements of degree programs that the colleges establish.
- Writing Seminar
This course emphasizes English-writing skills. Other attributes of this course shall be:
- Mandatory for all undergraduate students during their first year of study unless the English department approves transfer credit from another institution of higher education.
- Addresses the Effective Written Communication general education learning outcome.
- Class size shall be about 20 students per section.
- The student must successfully complete the Writing Seminar course with a grade of “C” or better.
- The English program shall administer this seminar.
- The Writing Seminar may satisfy other requirements of degree programs that the colleges establish.
- Writing Intensive Course (was Substantive Writing, see “UPDATES” section below)
- Mandatory for all undergraduate students, must be taken at ONU.
- Students starting in Fall 2026 and after, take a tagged Writing Intensive Course.
- Students starting prior to Fall 2026 meet the Substantive Writing requirement as part of approved GE#10 courses.
- Addresses the Effective Written Communication general education learning outcome.
- Class size shall be about 20 students per section.
- The Writing Intensive Course may satisfy other requirements of General Education and/or degree programs that the colleges establish. The Substantive Writing requirement meets GE10 and may satisfy other requirements of degree program that the colleges establish.
- Capstone
- Mandatory for all undergraduate students within each academic program.
- Addresses General Education Outcomes “Effective Written Communication”, “Effective Spoken Communication” and “Critical and Creative Thinking”
- Integrates concepts, theories, methods from course of study the academic program into a final project or activity. The project or activity is determined by the college or major.
- At least one term in length, many are two terms
- May be interdisciplinary
- Will satisfy other requirements of degree programs that the colleges establish.
- Additional Courses
Student must successfully complete courses that meet the 10 approved General Education Learning Outcomes. Academic courses supporting the general education learning outcomes may satisfy other requirements of degree programs that the colleges establish. General Education assessment is completed by the faculty instructors of approved General Education courses.
More than 250 courses are now part of this general education program. A list of the courses that support each learning outcome can be found in the student’s Degreeworks audit under the “ONU General Education” block. A master list of these courses is available via the link below.
ONU General Education Comprehensive List of Courses (March, 2026 updated)
Faculty members can propose that an existing or new course meet a relevant General Education outcome. A copy of the syllabus and supporting documentation must be submitted to the General Education Committee for review and approval before a GE attribute can be added to the course.
Supporting documentation for courses proposed to meet GE6 (Knowledge of human thought and culture), GE8 (Knowledge of the principles of aesthetics), GE9 (Knowledge of the principles of civics or ethics), and GE10 (Understanding of diverse cultures) requires mapping course outcomes to a relevant rubric. Faculty who would like to have their course identified as meeting these learning outcomes should contact the Chair of General Education, Dr. Lynda Nyce (l-nyce@onu.edu) for submission forms and information about the Committee review timeline.
UPDATES FOR GENERAL EDUCATION, 2026
To complete the ONU General Education requirements, all 10 learning outcomes will continue to be met by courses across the curriculum of the University. The transition experience, writing seminar, intensive or substantive writing, and capstone courses are part of these requirements.
Starting with the incoming class of 2026, students will automatically be on the updated plan. Each student will be required to complete a Writing-Intensive (WI) course that could be attached to any course across the ONU curriculum, including courses that fulfill General Education outcomes 4-10, majors-only courses, and other non-Gen Ed courses. For these students there is a separate box in the General Education block in DegreeWorks to track the completion of this requirement. The WI course must be taken at ONU.
Students who begin their studies at ONU in 2026-2027 will not need to fulfill GE10 with a course taken only at ONU. The Gen Ed Committee will be working during the fall semester of 2026 to identify key learning outcomes that must be present in any course considered for GE10 credit.
Students who began their studies at ONU prior to 2026-27 will continue to meet the substantive writing requirement as part of GE#10 courses.
Students are encouraged to view the personalized general education plan requirements in Degreeworks and to work with a faculty advisor if they have any questions. General Education questions can also be directed to Dr. Lynda Nyce at l-nyce@onu.edu.